Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus for a vehicle includes a receiver, a distance calculation section, and a reception frequency changing section. The receiver receives information transmitted from each external communication apparatus located outside of a host vehicle via wireless communication. The distance calculation section calculates a distance between the host vehicle and each outside target to which the external communication apparatus is provided based on position determination information when the information transmitted from the external communication apparatus includes the position determination information. A position of the outside target can be specified based on the position determination information. The reception frequency changing section decreases an information reception frequency of the receiver in accordance with an increase in the distance between the host vehicle and one of the outside targets closest to the host vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle operation sensing system includes an operation sensor, a fixture sensor, and a vehicle operation sensing unit. The operation sensor is an acceleration sensor fixed to an operation member, and sensing an acceleration generated in the operation member at least in a gravitational acceleration direction. The operation member has one end fixed to a vehicle and the other end a position of which is displaced in the gravitational acceleration direction when the operation member is operated. The fixture sensor is an acceleration sensor used at a position unchanging part of the vehicle, and sensing an acceleration generated in the vehicle at least in the gravitational acceleration direction. The vehicle operation sensing unit has an operation sensing part sensing an operation of the operation member by using a sensing result of the fixture sensor as an object to be compared with a sensing result of the operation sensor.

Abstract: A reckless-vehicle determination section of a vehicle determines whether a reckless driving operation takes place in each of different vehicles based on determination information from each of the different vehicles. A target different vehicle in which a reckless driving operation is determined to take place is displayed on a display in a display mode that is different from that for any different vehicle in which a reckless driving operation is not determined to take place.

Abstract: Vehicle exterior images are captured sequentially by an imaging portion of an imaging-equipped mobile terminal used in a first vehicle and stored temporarily in an image temporary-storage portion in the first vehicle. The first vehicle receives vehicle information from a second vehicle different from the first vehicle, through inter-vehicle communication. When it is determined that a sudden deceleration arises in the second vehicle based on the vehicle information received by the first vehicle, the vehicle exterior images stored in the image temporary-storage portion are read and saved in a memory.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus in a self vehicle of a convoy organizes plural convoys of traveling vehicles in consideration of a non-convoy vehicle that desires to pass the plural convoys when the plural convoys are traveling in parallel on a multi-lane road. The apparatus determines whether the plural convoys are traveling in parallel with each other on a multi-lane road, and if an in-parallel travel state of the convoys is determined, the self vehicle in one of the convoys may be accelerated or decelerated to allow the non-convoy vehicle to pass the plural convoys.

Abstract: A driving support device for a first trailer coupling vehicle including a first trailer and a first towing vehicle includes: a leading vehicle driving status obtaining device for obtaining a driving status of a second trailer coupling vehicle; a first towing vehicle driving status obtaining device for successively obtaining a driving status of the first towing vehicle; a first trailer driving status obtaining device for successively obtaining a driving status of the first trailer; and a support device for supporting a driver of the first trailer coupling vehicle so as to bring the driving status of the first towing vehicle and the driving status of the first trailer closer to the driving status of a second towing vehicle and the driving status of a second trailer, respectively, when the first trailer coupling vehicle changes in direction.

Abstract: In a vehicular wireless communication apparatus in a subject vehicle, a rear vehicle determination process determines whether another vehicle is a rear vehicle within a predetermined range based on a past locus of the subject vehicle determined by a subject-vehicle locus determination process, and a locus information-set of the another vehicle received by a wireless communication portion. When the another vehicle is determined to be the rear vehicle, a necessary-position determination process determines position information-items of two end points of a line segment of the past locus of the subject vehicle which intersects with a perpendicular line drawn from a present position of the another vehicle. A simple transmission process transmits a locus information-set including (i) a present position information-item of the subject vehicle and (ii) the necessary-position information-item determined in the necessary-position determination process, from the wireless communication portion.

Abstract: A vehicular wireless communication apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle determines whether a travel locus of the subject vehicle is similar to a travel locus of a lead vehicle. When the travel locus of the subject vehicle and the lead vehicle are similar, the apparatus transmits the lead vehicle's device identification (ID) and a latest position information of the subject vehicle in place of travel locus information of the subject vehicle from the apparatus to other vehicles at regular interval.

Abstract: A driving assistance device includes: a surrounding-vehicle-information acquisition device for sequentially acquiring vehicle information for specifying a position and a travelling direction of a surrounding vehicle; a position acquisition device and a direction acquisition device for a host vehicle; a display controller for controlling a display device to display an image indicative of a current position of the surrounding vehicle relative to the current position and the travelling direction of the host vehicle; a surrounding-vehicle-track generation device for generating a surrounding vehicle track, which is at least one of a previous track and a future track of the surrounding vehicle; and a track display determination device for determining whether it is necessary to display the surrounding vehicle track. The display device further displays the surrounding vehicle track when it is necessary to display the surrounding vehicle track.

Abstract: A drive assist system includes: wireless communication devices on first and second vehicles. The wireless communication device on the first vehicle includes: a distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first and second vehicles; and a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance and a distance to the second vehicle obtained by a ranging sensor in the first vehicle.

Abstract: When prediction information is newly acquired, a degree of the difference between a predicted via-point at a current time point is determined based on already transmitted past prediction information and a current position contained in the newly acquired prediction information. Then, it is determined whether the determined degree of the difference is a predetermined value or more. When the degree of the difference is determined to be the predetermined value or more, the newly acquired prediction information is transmitted.

Abstract: Provided is a solid preparation for oral application containing (a) gum tragacanth and (b) a polyphosphoric acid or salt thereof and constituted so that the polyphosphoric acid or salt thereof starts to dissolve firstly and the gum tragacanth starts to dissolve subsequently. The solid preparation for oral application according to the present invention has a high plaque formation inhibiting effect.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: multiple pixels. Each pixel is arranged at a surface layer portion of a semiconductor substrate, and includes: a photoelectric conversion portion that converts light incident into an electric charge; a charge holding portion that stores the electric charge, and is arranged in the semiconductor substrate; a multiplication gate electrode that is capacitively coupled with the charge holding portion, and is arranged on the semiconductor substrate via an insulation film; and a charge barrier portion that is arranged between the charge holding portion and the insulation film, and has a higher impurity concentration than the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A driving support device for a first trailer coupling vehicle including a first trailer and a first towing vehicle includes: a leading vehicle driving status obtaining device for obtaining a driving status of a second trailer coupling vehicle; a first towing vehicle driving status obtaining device for successively obtaining a driving status of the first towing vehicle; a first trailer driving status obtaining device for successively obtaining a driving status of the first trailer; and a support device for supporting a driver of the first trailer coupling vehicle so as to bring the driving status of the first towing vehicle and the driving status of the first trailer closer to the driving status of a second towing vehicle and the driving status of a second trailer, respectively, when the first trailer coupling vehicle changes in direction.

Abstract: A route guidance system to guide an emergency vehicle to an emergency site includes a first navigation apparatus mounted in a first emergency vehicle and a second navigation apparatus mounted in a second emergency vehicle. The first navigation apparatus performs an approach route record process which records an approach route of the first emergency vehicle from a predetermined reference position to an emergency site, and an approach route transmission process which transmits the recorded approach route upon detecting a predetermined manipulation by an occupant when the first emergency vehicle reaches the emergency site. The second navigation apparatus receives the approach route transmitted from the first navigation apparatus and performs an approach route guidance process to guide the second emergency vehicle to the emergency site based on the received approach route.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus for organizing a convoy of vehicles is provided. The convoy travel apparatus controls at least one of the convoy of vehicles to change lanes to a lane that is opposite to a merging lane when it is determined that the convoy of vehicles approaches a merge point of a multi-lane road and a currently traveling lane of the convoy of vehicles has the merge point. In such a lane change scheme, a vehicle having no communication device may merge into the multi-lane road without compromising a ride comfort of the convoy of vehicles.

Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus in a self vehicle of a convoy organizes plural convoys of traveling vehicles in consideration of a non-convoy vehicle that desires to pass the plural convoys when the plural convoys are traveling in parallel on a multi-lane road. The apparatus determines whether the plural convoys are traveling in parallel with each other on a multi-lane road, and if an in-parallel travel state of the convoys is determined, the self vehicle in one of the convoys may be accelerated or decelerated to allow the non-convoy vehicle to pass the plural convoys.

Abstract: A vehicular wireless communication apparatus is disposed in a subject vehicle to establish vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the subject vehicle and other vehicles having the apparatus. The apparatus of the subject vehicle receives sensor state information from an immediate following vehicle. Based on the sensor state information, the apparatus of the subject vehicle controls a transmission cycle of the information transmitted. A longer interval is selected when the immediate following vehicle has a range sensor and the range sensor successfully detects an obstacle in front of it. A standard interval, shorter than the longer interval, is selected when the immediate following vehicle does not have the range sensor or when the immediate following vehicle has the range sensor but the range sensor failed to detect the obstacle. Therefore, the transmission cycle is dependent upon the need of the information while preventing congestion of information transmission.

Abstract: In a vehicular wireless communication apparatus in a subject vehicle, a rear vehicle determination process determines whether another vehicle is a rear vehicle within a predetermined range based on a past locus of the subject vehicle determined by a subject-vehicle locus determination process, and a locus information-set of the another vehicle received by a wireless communication portion. When the another vehicle is determined to be the rear vehicle, a necessary-position determination process determines position information-items of two end points of a line segment of the past locus of the subject vehicle which intersects with a perpendicular line drawn from a present position of the another vehicle. A simple transmission process transmits a locus information-set including (i) a present position information-item of the subject vehicle and (ii) the necessary-position information-item determined in the necessary-position determination process, from the wireless communication portion.

Abstract: A driving assistance device includes: a surrounding-vehicle-information acquisition device for sequentially acquiring vehicle information for specifying a position and a travelling direction of a surrounding vehicle; a position acquisition device and a direction acquisition device for a host vehicle; a display controller for controlling a display device to display an image indicative of a current position of the surrounding vehicle relative to the current position and the travelling direction of the host vehicle; a surrounding-vehicle-track generation device for generating a surrounding vehicle track, which is at least one of a previous track and a future track of the surrounding vehicle; and a track display determination device for determining whether it is necessary to display the surrounding vehicle track. The display device further displays the surrounding vehicle track when it is necessary to display the surrounding vehicle track.